New Zealand: 100% pure

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We arrived in Auckland airport in less than ideal conditions. Due to the time difference between Australia and here, it was now midnight, not 8pm as our bodies thought it was. As a result, it was like a ghost airport. We had booked the hotel (the promisingly named “Skyway Lodge”) in advance and they had a pick-up service, which had all seemed very swish at the time of booking. Now, under the cold light of the fluorescent tubes of a deserted arrivals terminal, things looked worrying. Fortunately the lady at the information desk materialised and was able to help by lending me a phone and dialling the number for the hotel. Expecting the disdained strains of a night porter, I was aurally greeted by the blearily greeted by a man who sounded semi drunk. Nevertheless, he said he would be there in 10 minutes in a blue van… Hmmm.

I used the time wisely to by a new sim card, and waited for the man. He duly turned up 20 minutes later. He was a shambolic figure with long greasy hair and threadbare clothes and was the owner of the hotel. Amelia chatted to him on the short journey to the skyway lodge and he seemed nice enough, if a bit strange. The hotel was much like it’s owner, dated, worn out and cold. But we didn’t mind as we were only there one night, as we would be picking up our home on wheels in the morning.

We left the 70’s time warp hotel, refusing the strange man’s kind offer of a lift to the rental office for a mere $10 and walked the 2km in the relentless drizzle. As usual, things didn’t go entirely smoothly. When we first arrived, we were moments behind 2 french girls who had just rocked up un-announced, and we were told that there would be a delay of an hour. So they lent us a spare car so we could get some groceries in advance. That was fine, but when we came back, things went less smoothly. The whole payment was supposed to have been taken a month in advance, but their accounts department had decided that they didn’t actually want to be paid. So that took some time. In addition, on closer examination, the chosen route involved 2 trips on the cross channel ferry, which turned out to be much more expensive than foreseen. More expensive than a flight from Christchurch on the south island to Auckland where we will depart from, on the north island. So the lady kindly booked that for us and didn’t charge us the exorbitant 1 way drop off fee. Even nicer, she threw in a free satnav and recommended that we should go to the Christchurch office to pick up snow chains “just in case you run into some weather”.

Finally on the road, I was keen to get some miles under my belt, so the first stop was up towards the Bay of Islands. Our overnight halt was to be the campsite at Forest Pools, Puteki Forest. Getting there however was something of a mission. Due to our later than planned departure from Auckland, we drove into the darkness, and as we ventured off State Highway 1, we met New Zealand’s back roads, not for the last time. The peril was great and the immensity of the driving skill required was truly breathtaking.



When we eventually arrived at the camp, we were able to test the abilities of the van. Fully equipped with all the mod-cons, if you live in the 1950’s. A 2 burner gas hob, sink with manually pumped tap, with 35l of water on board, a build it your self bed that cunningly uses the bench seats and the table in the back to make it. Oh and another massive plank of plywood that was essential to make the base, but at all other times was a complete pain. Amelia cooked dinner whilst I recovered from the harrowing experience and went to bed. This is going to be harder than we thought.

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